Ready to Reopen—Our Plan for Fall 2020

A: If you’re on campus (or are remote but can get on campus), you can visit the Library anytime between 8-3 to pick up your device. Questions? Email helpdesk@thorntonacademy.org.

A: Your TA eMail login is your First Name, a dot, and then your Last Name, plus the last 2 digits of your graduation year, then @thorntonacademy.org. For example, a student named Troy Trojan graduating in 2021 might be Troy.Trojan21@thorntonacademy.org. The password is on your student’s schedule and can also be given by your student’s school counselor. 

A: If you need support in establishing reliable internet service for your student/s, please contact our technology department at (207) 282-3361 x4427.

A: When on campus, be sure to choose "TA Secure Wireless" as your preferred wifi. The login is firstname.lastname<<2-digit year of graduation>> (ex. troy.trojan21), and your password can be found on your schedule (this was placed in your iPad setup instructions). You can also email your School Counselor for your password if you need a reminder. Important note: "@thorntonacademy.org" is NOT part of the username).

A: Before you can access your classes in Google Classroom you need to be signed into Gmail App with your school issued email address and password. After that has been completed you can launch the Classroom App . On the main screen, all of your classes should be listed. If one is missing, check your email to be sure you haven’t missed the invitation to the class. If you don’t see an email from your teacher, email him/her to ask that they invite you to the class.

A: If you experience technical difficulties, send an email to helpdesk@thorntonacademy.org and someone will reach out to you soon. It’s also a good idea to let the teacher know that you are trying to connect and are having difficulty.

A: Powerschool can be accessed by students on their iPad with the Powerschool App . The school code is WWJP. The username is the student’s first name, a dot, then their last name, and then the last 2 digits of their graduation year. (Example: troy.trojan21) WITHOUT the @thorntonacdemy.org. The password is located on the student’s schedule or can be given by their school counselor.  

A: Communication about parent access will be forthcoming on Friday afternoon (9/11/20). Parent access will allow parents to create their own accounts where they can add multiple students and receive notification about their student’s academic progress. 

A:  Maine’s School Health Advisory Map will be updated every other week, and designated colors will be assigned to each county based on the current health conditions and risk of COVID-19 spread. These color designations correspond with recommended modes of learning as follows:
A red designation suggests that the county has a high risk of spread and in-person instruction is not advisable.
A yellow designation suggests that the county has an elevated risk of spread and schools may consider a hybrid model as a way to reduce the number of students together at any one time.
Counties with a green designation have a relatively low risk of COVID-19 spread and schools may consider in-person instruction, as long as they are able to implement the required health and safety measures. (Schools may need to use hybrid instruction models if there is insufficient capacity or other factors.)
NOTE: The rules for social distancing outlined by the CDC will prohibit Thornton Academy, along with many schools, from welcoming all students back on campus at one time. This means that unless the rules for social distancing change, either a green or yellow designation will require us to adopt a hybrid model of both in-classroom and remote learning this fall.

A: Thornton Academy will follow the guidance of the Maine CDC, MDOE, and Office of the Governor when determining the appropriate mode of instruction. We will consult the Maine School Health Advisory Map, which will be updated every other week, and will adjust to current public health conditions. Counties will be assigned one of three possible color designations based on transmission risk level: red, yellow, or green. These designations correspond to recommended modes of instruction. 

A: Either a green or yellow designation will require us to adopt a hybrid model of instruction. In this combined on-campus/remote learning model, the student body will be split in half by last name, A-K and L-Z. Each student will be assigned two days to attend classes on-campus; students with last names starting with A-K will attend Monday and Tuesday, and students with last names L-Z will attend Thursday and Friday. Wednesdays will be a remote day for all. Our hybrid schedule will allow students to participate in a full maroon and a full gold day on campus each week, with their remaining classes spent remotely in a synchronous format.  This means that students will participate live and in real time on their remote days.

For example: If your student attends classes on campus on Mondays and Tuesdays, the rest of the week will be spent at home where they will follow their regular schedule and be expected to login to classes at the regularly scheduled class time. They will attend and participate in remote classes alongside their peers who are also remote, as well as those attending their on-campus classes on Thursdays and Fridays.

A: Students participating in classes, both in person and remotely, will be able to hear and see the instruction, participate in discussions, ask/answer questions, and interact with their peers and teachers through the use of their laptop/iPad and other technology supports.  

A: TA intends to start school at 9:00am and end at 2:40pm. We understand that bussing schedules from sending districts are currently under review and any changes to these start and end times will be shared as soon as possible.

A: Yes. Your child will be expected to attend the regularly scheduled course meetings during their scheduled time, either in person or remotely. Attendance will be taken for each block; if a student does not access their classes either in person or remotely, they will be marked absent. Parents will be responsible for contacting the school to report a student absent, tardy, or dismissed early.

REPORTING ABSENCES: Upper School families should report this information to absent@thorntonacademy.org. TAMS students should contact Deb Crepeau at debbie.crepeau@thorntonacademy.org. We will use our current policy regarding excused and unexcused absences. NOTE: If a student is sick, symptoms should be reported to the school.

REPORTING TARDIES/DISMISSALS: Tardies and dismissals should be reported via phone to 207-602-4450 or via email to tardies.dismissals@thorntonacademy.org. 

TARDY PROCEDURE (In-Person):
•If you are late to class by less than 10 minutes, report to the class.
•If you are late by greater than 10 mins, check into the Attendance Office and then reportto class.
•If it is an unexcused tardy, regular Student Handbook consequences will be taken.

TARDY PROCEDURE (Remote):
•Log into your class and wait for the teacher to grant access.
•If it is an unexcused tardy, regular Student Handbook consequences will be taken.

DISMISSAL PROCEDURE:
•A student must have permission from a parent/guardian to leave campus.
•Please note: Students should be dismissed before the end of the day only in the case of illness that occurs during the school day, or (when necessary) medical appointments. •A planned absence for a personal or educational purpose should be approved in advance through the Deans’ Office.
•Prior to the dismissal time, a parent/guardian must call or email the school at tardies.dismissals@thorntonacademy.org. The student will NOT receive a pink dismissal slip while this addendum is in effect, and should inform their teacher and leave campus at the time they are dismissed.
•Students are not allowed to leave and then have a call placed afterwards.

A: Students can choose to access their classes remotely as needed.  For a long-term decision to remain in remote learning, upper school families should contact Marsha Snyder at marsha.snyder@thorntonacademy.org. TAMS students should contact Tiffany Robert at tiffany.robert@thorntonacademy.org. Note: If a student is experiencing an illness, the student’s symptoms MUST be reported to the school in order to determine a safe return to in-person classes.  Please see the Parent/Student Guide to Reopening for additional details.

A: Grades will be determined using the familiar A-F scale. While we temporarily adopted a Pass/Incomplete scale during the Spring 2020 closure in response to the crisis situation, we believe it is in the best interest of students and their academic progression to return to our familiar grading system. As always, we want our students to feel supported. Should you require additional support, please reach out to your child’s School Counselor.

A: Official schedules will be provided to all students, including incoming freshmen and TAMS students, on the first day of school. Our process at the upper school of building a schedule based on student requests (made in late winter/early spring of the 19/20 school year) remains intact. If you have any questions about the course selections your child requested, please reach out to his/her school counselor before Monday, August 17, as we will not be making any schedule changes after this date. 

A: Yes. While we encourage students to participate in person during their scheduled days (to the degree that it is safe for individual students), we understand that there are many factors to consider and that in-person learning may not be an option for some students. Regardless of York County’s risk designation, all classes will be streamed online at scheduled times, providing a 100% remote option for students who are unable to attend in person for any reason.

Our intent is to provide a structure that allows us to move fluidly between designations, as well as provide an accessible option for students who need to opt out of on-campus learning. Should you decide that your student requires a remote-only learning model, we ask that you let us know at your earliest convenience for planning purposes. Upper School students should notify Marsha Snyder at marsha.snyder@thorntonacademy.org. TAMS students should notify Principal Tiffany Robert at tiffany.robert@thorntonacademy.org. 
 

A: Unfortunately, families will not be provided a choice of which days their son/daughter will attend in-person instruction on campus. In order to ensure safe social distancing in classrooms and common spaces (such as the cafeteria) the school needs to construct a schedule and rosters that adhere to state-mandated social distancing requirements. A set schedule based on students’ last names will allow us to continue to provide our full breadth of course offerings and appropriately leveled classes for individual students. You may choose for your child to participate in classes remotely if barriers exist that will prohibit them from attending on their assigned days.

NOTE: The only exception to this policy may occur when siblings attending TA and/or TAMS, within the same household need to coordinate transportation. (Example: Two students living in the same household with different last names that don’t fall within the same grouping.) These requests must be submitted no later than August 17, 2020. Upper School students should notify Marsha Snyder at marsha.snyder@thorntonacademy.org. TAMS students should notify Principal Tiffany Robert at tiffany.robert@thorntonacademy.org. If you plan to send your child on their assigned days, you do not need to contact us.

A: In order to ensure safety guidelines are followed and offer students access to our broad academic program, we regret that we are unable to accommodate requests to deviate from your student’s assigned group. While we recognize and fully appreciate that hybrid models present logistical challenges for families, we are unable to accommodate requests for students to attend on a cycle inconsistent with the final determination. Thornton Academy serves students and families from multiple schools and districts and a hybrid learning model requires consideration of transportation and several other complex scheduling elements. If your child is unable to attend in-person sessions as scheduled, you may choose to consider the remote option.

A: Yes. Any student who receives special education support will continue to have access to his/her services within all three of the RED, YELLOW, and GREEN designations within Maine’s School Health Advisory Map. For questions specific to your child’s IEP or special education services, please contact Heidi Butler, Assistant Special Education Director, at heidi.butler@thorntonacademy.org.

From the Arts Department:

The arts are alive and well at TA! We have taken extra precautions to keep your child and our teachers safe while still creating art. We have studied recommendations from the CDC/DOE as well as Maine Arts Education Association and the Maine Music Educators Association. 

Visual Arts classes will all be assigned their own learning kit. This includes all supplies they will need to get started for the year. This will not be a shared kit- it is their to take home, and bring in with them on their scheduled day. 

In the performing arts, we have installed a beautiful tent out in front of our wing that we will be using for chorus, band, and theater. The CDC recommends playing and singing outside at 14' distance. It will be a challenge, but we've got a plan. We ask that your child has a mask for chorus and band that is separate from their daily use mask, and they bring a Ziploc bag to contain their band/chorus mask.

Here is a link to musician masks that will work with wind instruments: https://www.seavine.co/ 

Remember all masks should be cleaned each day after use. 

Theater classes will take place under the tent or on the stage at 6' apart with masks.  

Dance classes will be held inside the studio at 6' distancing. Your student will continue to learn dance in their designated space. Students need to be masked during dance class. 

We are currently working on future plans for our events. Thank you for your patience and continued support of the arts at Thornton Academy.

From the Wellness Department: 

Physical education and activity classes will following safe teaching practices established by Shape America—a national Health & Physical Education organization. In our classes, the focus will be on individual pursuits or skills, rather than traditional team sports or activities (e.g., dance and rhythms, exercises without equipment, fitness, mindfulness, outdoor pursuits, track and field, throwing underhand, and kicking and target games). 

We plan to use games and activities that require no physical contact and do not require students to be in close physical proximity to each other, such as tennis or pickle ball. We'll also include opportunities for student choice, and incorporate student-suggested activities, when appropriate.

Students enrolled in our classes will follow safety rules and regulations, established by the Maine DOE, which will be provided on the first day of class and will continually be reinforced by wellness instructors. On their remote days, students will have a variety of wellness activities to complete, such as an individualized workout, a reading assignment with questions about a certain personal fitness topic, mindfulness activities, and/or a calendar of activities to do each day at home.

A: Thornton Academy’s safety protocols are based on the most up-to-date guidance provided by the Maine CDC, Department of Education, and Office of the Governor. This means that we are committed to following statewide reopening requirements, including the implementation of symptom screening for students (parents will be asked to conduct a daily self symptom screen with their child) and staff, physical distancing of three feet between students, mandatory face coverings, proper hand hygiene, and staying home if sick. Our faculty and staff will undergo training in order to ensure that TA adheres to these requirements, keeping safety as the top priority for our staff, students, and families.  Additional information and training, including  “Thornton Academy’s Parent/Student Guide to Reopening,” will be provided to families and students prior to the start of the school year and during the first week of school.

A: Everyone has differing medical needs; we advise studentS/parents to reach out to their own physician for individual guidance regarding flu shots. 

A: Students (parents/caregivers) and staff must conduct daily self-checks for symptoms prior to boarding buses or entering school buildings each day. Self-assessment questions, along with additional details regarding procedures for reporting symptoms, are included in our Parent/Student Guide to Reopening.

A: Students and families will receive “Thornton Academy’s Parent/Student Guide to Reopening,” which will clearly outline physical distancing requirements. These requirements will also be posted on walls and floors throughout campus (along with other safety reminders) to increase self awareness. Classroom seating arrangements will be modified to ensure that students maintain distance requirements. We are also considering traffic patterns and working to establish strategies for student and staff movement.

A: To the extent possible, adults must maintain six feet of distance from one another, and from students. Students will be expected to maintain three feet of distance between and among one another when combined with the other measures outlined by the CDC (i.e. face covering, hand washing, etc.) The Governor’s group size-limit mandate must be adhered to. 

A: Yes. All students and adults, including faculty and staff, will be required to wear a face covering. Face coverings must be worn at all times, with the exception of established breaks while outside or 6 feet apart. Students will need to provide their own masks; however, we will have extra masks available in the event that a student forgets or loses their mask.

At this time, out of an abundance of caution and in response to the recommendation of our school physician, we will not be allowing gaiters as a face-covering option. Per CDC recommendations, masks with one-way valves or vents that allow air to be exhaled through a hole in the material, are also prohibited.

The Maine Department of Education advises that face coverings should cover the nose and mouth, and fit snuggly against the sides of the face. Cloth face coverings should have multiple layers of cloth. For additional information about face coverings, review U.S. CDC guidance on how to make cloth face coverings, wear and remove masks/face coverings, and wash cloth face coverings.

A: Students and families will receive “Thornton Academy’s Parent/Student Guide to Reopening,” which will clearly describe proper hand hygiene practices. Additional hand sanitizing stations and signage have been installed throughout campus in an effort to remind students of the importance of hand hygiene.

A: Our facilities staff will increase the number of regular cleanings for all buildings and common areas, paying particular attention to shared and high-traffic areas (i.e. bathrooms and lunch rooms) using disinfectant identified by the EPA for use against COVID-19. Tables and desks will be wiped down regularly throughout the day and/or if new groups of students enter classrooms and other shared areas. Additional hand sanitizing stations have been installed throughout campus, and ventilation has been improved in both living and learning spaces.

A: Yes. International and boarding students will be tested for COVID-19 upon their arrival to campus for the 2020-2021 academic year. Students will be quarantined to a designated single room until their results are available, approximately 24-48 hours after the test is administered. While we wait for all of our new and returning boarding students to be tested and to receive results, we will practice strict protocols in the dorms to keep students and staff safe and healthy. These include having meals brought to student rooms and participating in a remote new student orientation. 

A: The Maine CDC released its latest update earlier today—the protocol to guide schools in the event of a positive case of COVID-19 within the school community. You can read more about the state-mandated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in the event of a diagnosis on-campus in Part 1 of the Framework for Returning to Classroom Instruction.

A: The SMAA has postponed in-person athletics to a date no sooner than Tuesday, September 8. In a press release published Thursday, August 20, the organization stated: "SMAA schools cannot risk a further delay to the start of the school year by holding athletic programming on school grounds for two weeks prior to the start of school (MPS phase 4 conditioning program.) By delaying until September 8, SMAA schools can focus on starting the school year and open schools without the fear of on-campus transmission occurring through our own sports programs prior to that."

More information related to the nature and scope of this program will be announced in the coming weeks. Please keep in mind that these dates are subject to change based upon guidance from the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association, and the Southwestern Maine Activities Association.  

At all times, addressing the health and safety needs of our students, staff, and other athletic stakeholders remains our primary objective. We appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate these challenging waters.

Read the full SMAA press release here. 

A: For safety reasons, and to allow for adequate time to thoroughly clean buildings each evening, we are asking that ALL students leave campus at the end of the school day, at 2:40pm.

A: we have not made changes to our on-campus traffic patterns at this time. With only 50% of our students on campus each day, we don't anticipate any traffic issues. Our SRO and the Saco Police Department will monitor and make suggestions or adjustments, if needed.

A: Students are expected to remain on campus during their assigned lunch wave. For more information regarding TA Release, please see the Upper School Student Handbook and COVID addendum.

A: Please reference the TAMS or Upper School Student Handbook for dismissal procedures. 

A: Students can choose to access their classes remotely as needed.  For a long-term decision to remain in remote learning, upper school families should contact Marsha Snyder at marsha.snyder@thorntonacademy.org. TAMS students should contact Tiffany Robert at tiffany.robert@thorntonacademy.org. Note: If a student is experiencing an illness, the student’s symptoms MUST be reported to the school in order to determine a safe return to in-person classes.  Please see the Parent/Student Guide to Reopening for additional details.

A: At the upper school, guided study halls will be assigned to a specific classroom. However, traditional study halls have been assigned to alternate locations on campus to allow for proper social distancing and supervision. Student schedules will identify their study hall locations.  

A: "Trojan Time" is built into each block 3 class. This time allows for additional lunch waves to be offered during the block, which helps to create a safe environment for students to eat in smaller groups. Teachers will have discretion as to when they will manage this time during the extended block. Students can anticipate hearing school announcements, participating in grade-specific presentations, and independent study time, etc.